1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of initializing, provisioning, and managing a cable modem and a customer premise equipment device. The invention further relates to cable modem configuration files, including the use of an access-limiting configuration file in a case where the cable modem has yet to be provisioned. The access-limiting configuration file restricts network access from the cable modem until the cable modem is provisioned.
2. Background Art
The modern hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network in its typical implementation includes fiber from the head end to the local network fiber node, and includes coax cable for the final signal distribution through a neighborhood. Modern two-way HFC infrastructures are capable of sending gigabytes of data per second to small pockets of homes in a narrowcast way.
Product and service offerings over broadband networks, including cable networks, have expanded in recent years. The cable networks are now used for additional products and services, for example, many cable networks now offer high speed data service in addition to video programming. In the modern HFC network, head end infrastructure may include a cable modem termination system (CMTS) for providing data over cable services in addition to video quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) infrastructure for providing video content. The video QAMs may connect to various content sources, while the CMTS connects subscribers to the provider network. The provider network may include a variety of infrastructure for providing various services. For example, the provider network may include Domain Name System (DNS) servers, dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) servers, voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) gateways and soft switches for connecting to phone networks, among other systems for providing services to subscribers. Further, advances in network technology allow some functionality to be provided from locations upstream or downstream of the traditional head end.
At a subscriber location, a cable modem and a customer premise equipment device such as a set-top box communicate with the head end over the HFC network. Traditionally, the cable modem utilizes known initializing and provisioning techniques to obtain a network address and establish a connection to the provider network. For example, the data-over-cable service interface specifications (DOCSIS) specify various protocols for managing the connection of a cable modem to a CMTS. In a traditional application, the cable modem can obtain an IP address in an known manner, and customer premise equipment connected to the HFC network through the cable modem may obtain an IP address, for example, by utilizing DHCP.
In an existing method of initializing a cable modem, the cable modem connection to the CMTS is initialized, the cable modem is provided with a network address, and the cable modem receives a cable modem configuration file from a network server. The configuration file contains service provisioning information. In order to configure services, the cable modem passes certain contents of the configuration file to the CMTS, and the CMTS passes certain identifiers back to the cable modem.
Typically, a service provider restricts or limits access to the network by a cable modem until the service provider validates the cable modem through a provisioning process. In one approach, the service provider maintains a list of hardware addresses for validated cable modems. When a cable modem attempts to initialize, if the hardware address is in the list of valid cable modem hardware addresses, the cable modem is allowed normal access to network resources. In the case where a cable modem has yet to be provisioned, a restricted environment may be provided for the cable modem.
One approach to providing this restricted environment, referred to as a walled garden, involves a single, special configuration file provided in all cases where the cable modem has yet to be provisioned. This special configuration file restricts network access from the cable modem. After the cable modem is provisioned, the cable modem would then receive a regular configuration file as opposed to the special configuration file that keeps the cable modem within the walled garden. Although existing methods of initializing cable modems can limit network access for cable modems that have not been validated, a more comprehensive approach is needed as additional products and services are added in a modern HFC network.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a method of initializing, provisioning, and managing a cable modem and a customer premise equipment device in which, in a case where the cable modem has yet to be provisioned, there is greater flexibility in providing restricted access.